Frequently Asked Questions

What is the City's law and/or policy for DBE participation on bids and procurements?

The City of New Orleans established an overall goal of 35% utilization of socially and economically disadvantaged businesses for all public spending or private projects that utilize public funding and/or incentives. City Ordinance 70.432.1

How does the City of New Orleans define Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Businesses?

Am I required to utilize and include DBE participation with my bid or solicitation (RFP or RFQ) response?

Unless a waiver of DBE requirements was granted prior to the release of a solicitation, you can include with your bid, RFP or RFQ response, at a minimum, a Comprehensive Plan for DBE Participation that includes the following information:

Name and contact information of the DBE firm(s) you will work with if awarded a contract;

The scope of work for the commercially useful function the DBE firm(s) will perform on the contract;

The percentage of work of the total project to be performed by the DBE firm(s) on the project (e.g., 35%); and

A letter from the DBE firm(s) and on their letterhead acknowledging their participation with your firm on the project.

What if I cannot meet the 35% goal or the DBE goal established for the bid, RFP or RFQ?

If you cannot meet the goal established in the solicitation you must, at a minimum, show Evidence of Good Faith Efforts:

EVIDENCE OF GOOD FAITH EFFORTS (Excerpt from Form DBE‐2)

PRE‐BID MEETING(S): The bidder/offerer attended all pre‐bid meetings scheduled by the City to inform DBEs of contracting and subcontracting opportunities.

SLDBE/DBE LIST(S): The bidder/offerer utilized the Office of Supplier Diversity's list of certified SLDBE firms or the Louisiana Department of Transportation's list of certified DBE firms.

SMALL CONTRACT(S): The bidder/offerer selected specific portions of the work to be performed by DBEs in order to increase the likelihood of meeting the DBE goals (including breaking down contracts into smaller units to facilitate DBE participation).

FOLLOW‐UP: The bidder/offerer followed‐up initial indications of interest by DBEs by contacting those DBEs to determine with certainty if they remained interested in bidding.

INTERNET ADVERTISING: The bidder/offerer advertised DBE and/or subcontracting opportunities on the City of New Orleans Office of Supplier Diversity Facebook page or other internet portals that are accessible to DBEs and/or potential subcontractors.

GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS: The bidder/offerer negotiated in good faith with interested DBEs and did not reject DBEs as unqualified without sound business reasons based on a thorough investigation of their capabilities.

INFORMATION: The bidder/offerer provided interested DBEs with adequate information about the plans, specifications and requirements of the subcontract.

WRITTEN NOTICE(S): The bidder/offerer took the necessary steps to provide written notice in a manner reasonably calculated to inform DBEs of subcontracting opportunities and allowed sufficient time for them to participate effectively.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES: The bidder/offerer used the services of available community organizations, small and/or disadvantaged business assistance offices and other organizations that provided assistance in the recruitment and placement of DBE firms.

CONTRACT RECORDS: The bidder/offerer has maintained the following records for each DBE that has bid on the subcontracting opportunity: 1. Name, address, and telephone number; 2. A description of information provided by the bidder/offerer or subcontractor; and 3. A statement of whether an agreement was reached, and if not, why not, including any reasons for concluding that the DBE was unqualified to perform the job.

Where can I find a list or lists of certified firms that qualify to participate on City of New Orleans procurements as a DBE?

You can utilize any of the following lists of certified SLDBE or DBE firms:

Anyone interested in pursuing DBE certification should download and fill in the certification application that is available on our nola.gov web page (above). After answering all of the questions as best you can, you can contact our Certification Officer and schedule a one‐on‐one meeting to review your application and provide you any additional guidance on completing the application you may need.

Who can I contact if I have questions about DBE compliance or the program in general?